Horseshoe Crab Ban.pdf

Fisheries officials are seeking a ban on imports of three Asian horseshoe crab species due to the risk of parasites and pathogens harming local fisheries and human health. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission urged 14 member states to outlaw imports, citing the significant threat to US wildlife resources. The ban is aimed at protecting the red knot, an imperiled shorebird that relies on horseshoe crab eggs, and is currently a candidate for endangered species designation. Thirteen states have limited crab harvests, while New Jersey has a complete moratorium, to conserve the species. The commission seeks state bans as federal regulation can take up to a year, and damage to the domestic horseshoe crab population could further reduce the food supply of shorebirds. In 2012, 16,280 pounds of Asian horseshoe crabs were imported to New York State, with the imported species also in decline in Asia. Delaware supports the proposed ban and plans to implement one, currently allowing the harvest of 162,000 male horseshoe crabs per year.